“The greatest gift is a passion for reading. It is cheap, it consoles, it distracts, it excites, it gives you knowledge of the world and experience of a wide kind. It is a moral illumination.” Elizabeth Hardwick

#BookReview: The Taj Conspiracy by Manreet Sodhi Someshwar

03Jun

This has been a surprising read. I have heard great things about the book but picked it up rather skeptically and what an amazing read this has been. The book revolves around a conspiracy to destroy the Taj Mahal. A scholar who while researching the monument comes across the tomb of Shahjahans beloved wife’s tomb which indicated a Hindu origin of the Taj Mahal. This is the point when the book had my attention completely and totally!

I have read about the conspiracy theory, about the similarity certain nuances of the architecture of Mughals which has a distinct Hindu influence.This story weaves a story which has several layers,evoking tales from the old forgotten cobwebbed corners of a monument that is loved worldwide. What follows is a series of breathtaking twists and turns which takes you from the monument of love to Taj Ganj to the snow capped Himalayas.

With stumbling upon such a vital conspiracy theory, came a conflict of interests. Where right wing Hindu party sets in motion their communal agenda and on the other hand Islamic militants plot a terror attack. Mehrunisa embarks upon a journey to save the Taj Mahal and in her endeavor she has to battle the police and silence the demons in her heart as she pieces the jigsaw which will ultimately lead her to the conspirator.

The book is pacy so there is never a dull moment, I stayed up all night to finish this one. Intriguing and totally gripping it leaves you with a sense of restlessness to get to the end of the book. Totally unputdownable!